Welcome Home
by Slytherfoot
Summary: The war has ended, on earth and beyond. Those thrown into the next life are finding there place, Remus Lupin included. Who waits for him beyond the gates? R&R One-shot. Marauders.


October 31st, 1981.

For most, it was a day of great celebration; excitement. The bad had vanished, the good had surfaced, and the great became greater. All was well. For one moment, all was happy.

At the same moment though, _not_ all was great. For some, it had blossomed bitter sweetly into sorrow; _grieving_ sorrow at that.

For one moment, just one moment, put yourself in Remus Lupins shoes that night. He lost _everything_. All three of his best friends… Two presumably dead, the other sent to the Wizarding Prison for committing the murder of them both. Remus was one of the few who shut his curtains that day, praying he never had to open them again. Refusing all, he sat alone, in the darkness, counting down the days of regret. Could he have done something more? Could he have prevented this?

He knew the answer was without a doubt a no, but who couldn't feel the way he did when they were the last one standing?

Memories unwelcomingly flashed through his worn mind… So many… beautiful memories…

_Remus stared off into the depths of the sunset, devouring the array of colors and widening range of hues. Hungrily, longingly, he reached out. Maybe if he tried hard enough, he could touch it, like in one of his books. Fictional, he knew, but lately with the full moon approaching, he couldn't tell what was real or not anymore. He leaned onto the rickety fence by the lake and closed his eyes, his senses prickling and his mind dancing in complicated swirls._

_Suddenly, the rustling of branches behind him made Remus turn around. He noticed a black mane making its way through the foliage, the face it belonged to looking none too happy. It was the first day back to school, but Remus had an idea what was troubling him._

'_What's wrong?'_

'_Nothing… just a rough summer…' Sirius leaned onto the fence beside his partner, sighing deeply. They both remained quiet. That was the great thing about their relationship; it wasn't awkward if they both remained hushed, because that was the thing about Sirius. As spontaneous and reckless as he was, Sirius really preferred the company of silence. _

_He turned to Remus, his grey eyes gorging the aforementioned ambers. Before Remus could object, Sirius hugged his shoulders, turning him back towards the horizon. _

'_You see there, Moony? Someday, when we're out of school and I get the guts to leave that wicked old house, we'll sod off from the world, just like how everyone wants. Wouldn't it be great? We could live in the mountains… or just in the forest… whatever you'd like. What do you think, Remus?' _

_Remus remained silent, but he turned to Sirius, looking longingly into his worn and beaten eyes, whom were only trusted by him and a mere two others. There were so many things Sirius was hiding, but unlike the aforementioned, Remus was patient, and he knew that when the time was right, Sirius would tell him everything he needed to know._

'_I think you've gone mad, mssr Padfoot. But that's okay,' he turned back towards the setting sun, 'Because I don't mind if someday we go insane, as long as we do it together.'_

Remus sobbed, the memory and so many others came crashing down on him. The memories he held so closely to him it hurt. What was he to do now? Where would he go? He picked up a book, staring deeply into the cover.

'A thousand words won't bring you back,' he croaked, flipping onto his threadbare couch once more. Remembering his lycanthropy and taking one tiny peek out the window at the three quarter moon, he knew when the next full moon came; it would be his toughest yet.

Remus opened his eyes slowly, delicately; as if afraid he would shatter. Where was he? Was he…

…Was he _dead_?

No, surely not, but he wasn't reassured at the sight of Tonks, clumsily slumping over to him. She didn't speak, she just smiled, notioning for Remus to follow her as she trotted into the white calming mist.

Blindly, he followed the unmade path, through the gate.

He bumped into something, falling back, he let out a small 'oomph!'

A hand made it through the haze. A familiar hand; not a gnarled one, or a baby one, or a wrinkled one, but a fresh one. His breath hitching at the recognition, he looked up into grinning faces, full of ever clean mischief.

'Mr Padfoot, Mr Wormtail and Mr Prongs would like to welcome Mr Moony…' a young, clean-shaven Sirius gripped Remus' hand in his, '_Home_.'

A train whistled, signifying departure. So, Remus taking Sirius' hand in his and slinging his other arm around Peter and James, they departed.

Together.

After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.

_Mischief Managed._

**Please review if you liked it! Also, if you are up to date on my other story 'Hey Granger', I do apologize for not updating it! Writers block, I'll try to get to it, but for now, I hope this ties you over, along with my other multi-chapter story 'Jily One-shots!'**


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